And on that Bombshell...Top Gear

It was enjoyable. But a slight step down on the previous edition, I feel. Still great fun though.

Last night represented the final episode of the current series of Top Gear. I always enjoy seeing Jeremy and Richard have a good fight at the Cool Wall, and James' road test of the new Moon Buggy was cool.

But I just have to say Jeremy's gloating at beating the Lord in a race involving a Jaguar and the sun was a bit... well, blasphemous. I was expecting a lighting bolt to smote him down. Still, I must say I completely agree with Jeremy that speed cameras are the invention of Satan.

According to Keith "Telly" Topping's blog today, Top Gear is being sued.

It seems Tesla, makers of a £87,000 ($128,000) electric roadster that looks exactly like a Lotus Elige, are suing the show over an episode in the 2008 season. The episode saw Jeremy Clarkson pit the Tesla roadster against a real Lotus in a drag race- initially Jeremy was quite complimentary of the power the roadster produced off the line- only to see it run out of power after about 55 miles. Tesla claims the show fraduently depicted that, claiming that the both cars they loaned the show still had a 20% charge on them, and they want the record corrected.

Tesla, who according to Topping, is developing quite the reputation for being a litigious company, claims their roadster can achieve 211 miles, and is really upset that not only has Top Gear ignored their requests to correct the record, the episode in question has not only gone into DVD box sets for sale as transmitted, but has also been seen in re-runs world wide probably hundreds of times.

My thoughts on this: Tesla may have a point about the range of their car, but those claims will assume a certain style of driving. Jeremy Clarkson is known for having quite a heavy foot when he's testing a car on the Top Gear track, and I'm willing to be his testing style is at drastic odds with how Tesla recommends you drive the car. Hence the difference in range.

One other thing- if these claims that Tesla has started suing anyone and everyone who says anything critical of their car are accurate, I don't think it speaks well of the company itself.

Further to this lawsuit, Autoblog has some observations. But I think ultimately, the test of this issue is in the eye of the beholder. Have a look at the segment itself, and draw your own conclusions.

Tesla's suit is petty at best. Perhaps if the money they're planning to waste on pursuing this was spent on things like getting their cars out on time, they would sell a few more.

The trick with this kind of thing and Top Gear is to roll with the punch and actually show you have a sense of humour. Tesla are doing neither - it won't win them any new fans.

Is anyone watching the new series? Thought the first episode was average, the second very good indeed. And Sebastian Vettel absolutely brilliant in the third.

I saw my first commercial for the new series on BBC:A on Friday. The new series of Top Gear will reach these shores on Monday, August 22nd, which, I'm speculating, will correspond with the conclusion of this series in the UK.

Consequently, I won't be able to contribute any thoughts on the first few episodes for another five weeks.

An amusing story concerning Top Gear comes from Keith "Telly" Topping's blog:

Keith Topping wrote:The BBC has been forced into reverse gear after it was revealed that a deal to make Top Gear satnavs voiced by Jezza Clarkson breached its own editorial guidelines. About fifty four thousand of the devices had already been made, and many of them delivered to shops, before the mistake became apparent. The BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, will now donate all of the proceeds from the sales to Children In Need to bypass rules which prevent the show's presenters 'endorsing' motoring products. The Top Gear satnav features Jeremy giving instructions in typically sardonic style: 'Keep left – if you're not sure which side left is you really shouldn't be on the road,' he tells drivers. 'After seven hundred yards, assuming this car can make it that far, you have reached your destination, with the aid of thirty two satellites. And me. Well done.' The corporation's commercial arm said that no more of the Top Gear satnavs, made by TomTom, would be produced, meaning those already on the shelves are likely to become collectors items. Remember, if you take it out on the box, you're halving the value. A plan to allow existing TomTom owners to download Clarkson's voice to update their models has now been dropped. A BBC Worldwide spokesman said 'launch plans were too advanced to prevent the physical product going on sale in retail outlets' by the time the problem was identified.

I want one of these SatNavs! This strikes me as the perfect gift to give someone you really need to get even with. Loads of practical joke opportunities present themselves.

Eat English Muff.

I presume the trade mission to India has aired?

Indeed. 90 minutes long!

Wow, that'll make it a 2 hour movie when they edit it for commercials for BBC-America.

Thought it was too long to be honest, but had some great moments en route.

There's no such thing as a "too long" episode of Top Gear.

When does the new series start? Usually BBC-A airs it a couple of weeks after it starts in the UK.

I'm presuming the new series will start next month.

In which case, we should start getting it by the end of January or beginning of February. Good news!

Why doesn't the bunch of pathetic racists start blacking themselves up? Preferably in Brixton.

Not a fan then Richard.

No, Clarkson makes me sick. And i think his disgusting attitudes have gone past a joke now. And it makes the Beeb look like fools as they continue to support him because he makes them money.

It's about as real as Doctor Who Rich!

The Co=Ordinator wrote:It's about as real as Doctor Who Rich!

The thing is, Clarkson and Hammond do portray themselves as journalists. They also have a deeply unfunny tendency, as Rich points out, to be racist. They might well be the original Idiots Abroad, but ever since the pointless Mexican cars joke, I've not bothered watching Top Gear.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:

The India trade delegation finally aired over here last night. Apparently, they delayed transmission of the most recent series of Top Gear until after the US version ran its course on The History Channel through February and March.

Eat English Muff, indeed. And don't forget your hair product.

Naughty Patrick.

I can't believe they tried to wench a 2-ton Rolls with a Mini. I could have told you what was going to happen with that attempt.